This was published 6 years ago
World's best airline for 2018 named in TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards
TripAdvisor has named Singapore Airlines as the best airline in the world, in the second year of its Travellers' Choice Awards for airlines.
Measuring the quantity and quality of airline reviews and ratings over the past 12 months, Singapore was recognised to consistently deliver an exceptional experience to travellers worldwide.
According to a TripAdvisor reviewer: "I flew from Sydney to Singapore in business class. The food was the best I have had in the last 10 years. Service was great and the staff actually wanted to be there. One of the best, if not the best airline."
Business class on Singapore Airlines' new 787-10 Dreamliner.
The airline recently introduced new first and business class seats for its A380s, featuring new levels of luxury for passengers in the pointy end (take a look in the gallery above). Singapore Airlines also last month received the first Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, the largest version of the cutting edge aircraft.
While Qantas was named the best airline in Australia, Air New Zealand won the popular vote within the region, as well as placing second on the world's best list, with one reviewer saying they wouldn't fly any other airline between the US and New Zealand.
"The flight attendants are friendly, courteous, professional, and dedicated to customer service. The dinner was excellent, even in economy class, and there was complimentary NZ red and white wine. Even the safety videos are entertaining."
Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Christopher Luxon says listening to feedback and keeping customers at the core has helped the airline to continually improve its customer experience.
"Our people and the uniquely Kiwi service we provide each day can't be copied. It's great to see our efforts have paid off – with customer reviews and feedback a true measure of how we are doing," Mr Luxon said.
Emirates, which topped the Travellers' Choice awards last year, slid to third place, popular with travellers for its "style, class and comfort" as well as having some of the biggest seats in the business.
Similarly, Japan Airline won favour with travellers for its exceptional leg room and its "outstanding" crew, securing fourth place on the list.
Other airlines that stood out to global passengers for some of their more novel offerings, like Taiwan's Eva Airlines, which has a "Hello Kitty" themed flight.
"Everything from the pillows to the meals – it was Hello Kitty cuteness overload. These small personal touches made our entire flight experience so much nicer!"
Southwest Airlines also made the top 10 list. While it's the only airline in the US that includes checked-in luggage in your ticket price, it is also known for its exceptional service, with its crew often making headlines for their on-board improvisation.
Says one passenger: "We choose to fly Southwest whenever we can. Bags fly free, and we always check ours. Frequent flier miles are easy to accumulate with their membership program."
Eighth-placed airline Qatar Airways' economy class was also highly recommended for its service across all classes, but as one reviewer mentioned "the bar in A380 (business class) is the best".
The list differed significantly from the World Airline Awards list for 2017 by research firm Skytrax, which named Qatar as the world's No. 1, with Singapore Airlines second. AirlineRatings.com's 2018 list put Air New Zealand at No. 1, followed by Qantas, with Singapore third.
TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice Awards for Airlines:
Click on the links for Traveller's latest reviews of these airlines.
1. Singapore Airlines, Singapore (A380 business class review)
2. Air New Zealand, New Zealand (premium economy review)
3. Emirates, United Arab Emirates (A380 economy review)
4. Japan Airlines, Japan (premium economy)
5. EVA Air, Taiwan
6. Southwest Airlines, United States (economy class)
7. Jet2.com, United Kingdom
8. Qatar Airways, Qatar (A380 business class review)
9. Azul, Brazil
10. Korean Air, South Korea
See TripAdvisor's full list of winners here.
See also: Skytrax names the world's best airports for 2018
See also: Have plane seats really shrunk, and which airline is the worst offender?
Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter
Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now.